After the encounter Liam and his friends had with the first years, the very next day, all first-year students were called to the Beacon Hall to be informed about their upcoming major test, which was scheduled to take place in two days.

And just as Dylan had anticipated, the first years were assigned to have their test in Vlardia—just like the second years had before them.

Most of the first-year students were caught completely off guard by the announcement, and even more so by the nature of the test and the rules surrounding it. However, having already been given a hint beforehand, Gabby and her friends were less surprised by the announcement itself and more focused on the conditions and expectations of the test.

Then, the very following day after the first years received their announcement, the second years were also called to the Beacon Hall for their own.

With class sessions having just ended, the second-year students made their way toward the Beacon Hall at a steady pace. Upon arriving, they settled into the available seats, waiting for the academy authorities to appear while engaging in casual conversations and light gossip among themselves.

After a short while, the door near the stage opened.

From it, Headmaster Thion and his assistant, Ms. Lucia, walked into the hall. Just behind them were Mystica and Sir Kaelen.

The moment they entered, the entire hall fell silent as the students' attention shifted toward them.

The four figures made their way toward the stage at a composed and unhurried pace. Once they reached it and stepped up, Headmaster Thion moved toward the wooden pulpit positioned at the edge.

Assistant Lucia took her place a few steps behind him to his right, standing calmly. Sir Kaelen remained further back, maintaining his usual formal and upright posture, his hands folded neatly behind his back.

Meanwhile, Mystica leaned subtly against the wall at the far end of the stage, her lips curved into a faint, unreadable smile as she observed the students.

For a brief moment, the hall remained completely silent as every student waited for the Headmaster to speak.

Thion, however, took his time. His eyes moved across the hall, studying the students one by one before finally beginning.

"Good afternoon, second years," he said at last. "Or perhaps, good evening, considering the day is nearly over. Regardless, I trust you have all adjusted to life as second-year students within this academy and are progressing well."

The hall remained quiet as they listened.

"As you are all aware, the academy has now reached the midpoint of this semester," Thion continued. "Which means a major test must be conducted to determine where each of you stands as a student of this institution. However, I trust this comes as no surprise to you, unlike your juniors."

He paused briefly.

"They had quite the reaction," he added, a faint hint of amusement in his tone. "Much like you all did when you first heard about it."

That drew a few scattered chuckles from the students.

"But I digress," Thion said, clearing his throat lightly, bringing the hall back to silence.

"Over the past few months, you have been tested by your professors and instructors in a variety of ways," he continued. "And from observing your progress, I can say that you have developed a certain level of unity among yourselves."

That statement caused a subtle stir among some of the students, a few turning their heads slightly.

"While I would not say that unity has reached the level where you function as one mind and body," Thion added, "it is sufficient enough to carry you through your final examination this semester."

Within the crowd, Liam's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed those words, already forming his own conclusion.

'So the final exam this semester is going to involve all of us together again,' he thought. 'A full-class operation… which likely means thia test will lean more toward individual performance.'

"For that reason," the Headmaster continued, "the administration and I have reached a decision regarding this mid-semester test… it will be an individual-based assessment."

That single statement confirmed Liam's earlier conclusion. For most of the other students, however, it came as a genuine surprise—and for good reason.

Since enrolling in the academy, they had rarely been evaluated on an individual basis. Yes, there had been a short period of individual testing right after the initial one-month training before the academic year began.

But aside from that, every major assessment had been conducted either in small groups or as a full class.

Even as that realization settled in, some students began to recognize another factor behind their surprise. Their first year had been cut short due to the recent war, meaning they had never fully experienced a complete academic cycle. This, more than anything, was likely why the shift to individual evaluation felt so sudden.

Noticing the mix of confusion, curiosity, and unease across the students' faces, Thion allowed himself a faint smile before speaking again.

"I will leave Ms. Greydon to provide you with the details of this assessment," he said calmly. He stepped slightly to the side, turning toward his assistant and gesturing toward the pulpit.

Assistant Lucia inclined her head respectfully before stepping forward.

"Thank you, sir," she said quietly as she took her place.

She paused for a moment, her gaze moving across the hall as she observed the students. Then, adjusting her glasses slightly, she glanced down at the clipboard resting on the pulpit before beginning.

"For this assessment," she said, her voice clear and composed, "you will be deployed into a realm known as Nalim. This realm is similar to Vlardia."

A few groans immediately rippled through the hall as the students realized they hadn't quite escaped the kind of test they had hoped to leave behind.

"Like Vlardia, Nalim is a realm that serves as a containment ground for captured demons used in student evaluations," Lucia continued. "However, the differences between the two are significant. While Vlardia primarily contains Feral-class, Titanborne-class, and standard Horror-class demons, Nalim is designated for higher-level threats—primarily Horror-class, Advanced Horror-class, and… in certain controlled cases, Sync-class demons."

That last part sent a visible wave of shock through the hall.

"Sync-class…?"

Murmurs broke out almost immediately, spreading across the room as students struggled to process what they had just heard. The idea of facing Sync-class demons—especially in an individual assessment—was far beyond what most of them had expected.

"As much as you may feel inclined to judge or make assumptions," Lucia said, her tone calm yet firm, cutting through the noise, "it would be in your best interest to listen to the full explanation before reaching any conclusions."

That was enough to quiet the room. One by one, the murmurs died down, replaced again by attentive silence. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Lucia allowed a brief pause, ensuring she had their full focus before continuing.

"Nalim, while indeed more dangerous than Vlardia, is also far more regulated than what you are currently imagining," she explained, lifting her gaze from the clipboard to meet the students directly. "You will not be deployed into areas where Sync-class demons roam freely without restriction."

A subtle shift moved through the hall—some of the tension easing, though not entirely.

"Each of you will be assigned to designated zones," she continued. "These zones have been categorized based on threat level, environmental stability, and the density of Myst fluctuations."

She tapped lightly on the clipboard.

"However," she added, "your placement within these zones will not be predetermined."

There was a brief pause.

"It will be random."